Amusement device compising an eccentrically rotatable ball-like object



Nov. 24, 1964 A. R. PAYNE 3,157,961

AMUSEMENT DEVICE COMPRISING AN ECCENTRICALLY ROTATABLE BALL-LIKE OBJECT Filed May 28, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l 27' W j 2s 28 20 IN VEN TOR.

Z1 2' 2 .ALFO D R. P4 VNE ATTORNEYS Nov. 24, 1964 A. R. PAYNE 3,157,961 AMUSEMENT DEVICE COMPRISING AN ECCENTRICALLY ROTATABLE BALL-LIKE OBJECT Filed May 28. 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ALI-02D R- PAYNE 47/, wH ZAM ATTCIZNEVS United States Patent 3,157,961 AMUSEMENT DEVICE COMPRISING AN ECCEN- TRICALLY RQTATABLE BALL-LIKE OBJECT Alford R. Payne, 2004 E. 119th St., Los Angeles 59, Calif. Filed May 28, 1962, Ser. No. 198,370 4 Claims. (CI. 46-51) This invention has to do with toys and with devices used for exercise and amusement.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel amusement device in the nature of a toy which is adapted to be worn by the user and which embodies a movable or swing able part which is set in motion and maintained in motion by movement of the users body or hands.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel device of the type indicated which can be used by persons of all ages singly, or in groups, for amusement and for exercise and as a means of improving body coordination.

A further object is to provide a novel device of the type indicated which is adapted to be detachably fastened about a persons waist or other portion of the body and which has a movable or swingable element capable of being twirled or swung around and around by gyratiug the body.

More particularly it is an object to provide a device which can be strapped about the waist or some other portion of the body and embodies a hoop with a ball so mounted thereon that the ball can be caused to swing in and out through the hoop.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawing and the following description. Referring to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the invention shown worn by a user;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 1, but showing the ball inside the ring or hoop;

FIG. 3 is a face view of the inner side of the hoop mounting plate and adjacent portions of the attaching straps;

FIG. 4*is a fragmentary sectional view on line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of the peripheral portion of the ball at the region where it is attached to the hoop;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of an alternate form of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of still another form of the invention.

More particularly describing the invention in FIG. 1, I show a person 11 wearing the toy or amusement device 12 of the invention. In general, the device includes a means 14 which is adapted to be secured around the body of the wearer, preferably at the waist, a hoop or ring 15 which is secured to the means 14, and a ball 16 which is rotatably mounted on the hoop so that it can be swung around and through the hoop.

The means 14 for attaching the device to .the body of the user comprises straps 17A and 17B attached to a hoop-mounting plate 18. The latter is provided with a pair of slots 19 at each side to receive the diverging loop end sections 29 of the straps 17A and 17B. The outer ends of the latter are provided with suitable fastening means such as a buckle 22 on one and holes 23 in the other.

The hoop or ring 15 preferably is circular and is attached .to the mounting plate 18 in any suitable manner but preferably in a manner which permits it to be adjusted to either of at least two positions, namely, vertically and horizontally. The means shown for attaching the hoop to the plate comprises a screw 25 and a thumb nut 2d. The plate itself is provided with two grooves 27 and 28 which intersect forming a cross as best shown in FIG. 3. These grooves are curved longitudinally and laterally to correspond to the curvature of the hoop so that the hoop will seat in either groove. Thus the hoop is received in a selected one of the grooves thereby positioning it either vertically or horizontally and secured by the screw 25 and nut 26. The plate 18 may be made of metal or a suitable plastic.

I mount the ball 16 rotatably oil center upon the hoop at a region thereof diametrically opposite the region where the hoop is attached to the mounting plate 13. The ball itself may be made of rubber, fabric, plastics or other material and is preferably hollow, since it should be li ht in weight. It may be inflated and sealed, or provided with a valve or closable stern (not shown). At the side where it is mounted the ball is provided with a mounting sheet 3%) which is secured to the ball at its peripheral region or rather at its marginal edge portion 31 by heat sealing, or by suitable adhesive or cement, leaving the central portion 32 free. The latter has two parallel, spaced slots 33 adapted to receive a channel-shaped bracket 35 which can be inserted in place due to the flexibility of the central area 32 of sheet 30. The bracket is provided with two aligned holes 36 which rotatably receive the hoop. The latter is preferably made with a joint 37 comprising a projecting end portion 38 which fits into the tubular end 39 of the hoop. A reinforcing pad it} may be used beneath the bracket and it may be ccmented to the ball. Also cross-pins 41 or other means can be provided in the hoop in conjunction with washers 42 to hold the ball in place.

In use the device is fastened about the body of the wearer, as, for example, as shown in FIG. 1. The person can then gyrate the body and this will cause the ball to swing around the outer portion of the hoop and in and out through the hoop as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1. The device can also be positioned with the hoop in a horizontal position so that the ball will rotate about a horizontal axis. The ball also may be started to swing, or kept swinging, by use of the hands. Furthermore, the device may be strapped to the arms, legs, or the head or other parts or" the body, and in this connection it may be desirable to make the device in small sizes better adapted to fit such other parts of the body and for use by children.

In FIG. 7 I show an alternate form of the invention wherein I provide a member 50 of modified U-shape in place of the hoop 15 previously described. Member 50 includes straight, parallel end portions 51 and 52 and an intermediate curved section 53. The member 59 is mounted on a suitable plate 54 of a belt means 55 while the ball 16 is rotatably mounted on the end portion 52.

In FIG. 8 I show a modification of the invention wherein I rotatably mount a ball 16 oil center upon a post 60 which extends upright from a base 62. In use a person stands on the base and manipulates the ball by batting or punching it to cause it to rotate or oscillate about the post.

Although I have shown and described preferred embodiments of the invention, I contemplate that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the claims which follow. For example, it will be apparent that the hoop constitutes a support for rotatably mounting the ball (which might be an object of different shape) at a region spaced outwardly of the body of the user, and hence this so-called hoop might take various other forms, one of which is shown in FIG. 7.

I claim:

1. In a device of the type described, means adapted to be fastened about the body of a. user, a hoop carried by said means, said hoop being mounted to extend outwardly of the body of the user, and a ball rotatably mounted at its periphery upon a portion of the hoop spaced from the body of the wearer, said ball being of smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the hoop whereby the ball may swing around and through said hoop.

2. In a device of the type described, strap means adapted to encircle the body of a wearer, said strap means including a mounting plate, a hoop secured to said mounting plate in a position such that the hoop extends outwardly of the body of the user, and a ball rotatably mounted at its periphery at the portion of the hoop farthest from the wearer, said ball being smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of the hoop.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which said hoop is adjustably positionable on said mounting plate whereby the same can be positioned to lie in either one of at least two planes disposed at different angles.

4. In a device of the type described, a support, means for fastening the support to the body of a user in a manner such that said support, when said device is worn, projects outwardly of the body of the user, and a balllike object rotatably mounted at its periphery on said support at a region outwardly of the body of the user,

said support being substantially U-shaped with one leg of the U engaged by the fastening means and the other leg serving to support said object and being so shaped as to be out of the path of rotation of the object, and the axis of rotation of the object being approximately tangent to the object.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 139,533 6/73 Batchelder 465l 178,352 6/76 Wheeler 46--5l 595,642 12/97 Miller 224-5 756,616 4/04 Fornander 4653 XR 892,991 6/08 Hepworth 2245 1,337,483 4/20 Romaniello 46---53 1,973,198 9/34 Bergmann. 2,096,121 10/37 Manelia 46--52 2,128,666 8/38 Trexler 46-53 2,669,087 2/54 Bredimus et a1. 46-47 XR 2,677,545 5/54 Ross 272---78 3,098,316 7/63 McCarthy 4643 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

JOHN M. HORAN, Examiner. 

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED, MEANS ADAPTED TO BE FASTENED ABOUT THE BODY OF A USER, A HOOP CARRIED BY SAID MEANS, SAID HOOP BEING MOUNTED TO EXTEND OUTWARDLY OF THE BODY OF THE USER, AND A BALL ROTATABLY MOUNTED AT ITS PERIPHERY UPON A PORTION OF THE HOOP SPACED FROM THE BODY OF THE WEARER, SAID BALL BEING OF SMALLER DIAMETER THAN THE INNER DIAMETER OF THE HOOP WHEREBY THE BALL MAY SWING AROUND AND THROUGH SAID HOOP. 